Clothes-washing apparatus.



E. L. WHISLER.

CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1915.

1,172,651. Patented Feb. 22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. L. WHISLER.

CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, I915- 1,172,651, Patented Feb. 22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

amueutoz WW aummasn I easily and effectively operated with a miniing screw threaded engagement therewith,.

7 master.

UNITE STATES PAT NT OFFI E EZRA L. wnrsrnn, or cniv'rnnnrn;wasnrnsron.

or.0Tnnswesr rrne APPARATUS. V

Specification of hettersi Patenti Application filed lil'ay 17, 1915. Serial No. 28,658#

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it lrnown that I, EZRA L. Wnrsnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Qentralia, in the county of Lewis and State of lVasl1ington,'hav'e invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes'Washing Apparatus, of which the following s a specification. 1

This invention contemplates an improved clothes washing apparatus and has as its pri-V inary object to provide a deviceof this character adapted to adjustably support a clothes pounder or other suitable working element in such manner that the said pounder may be shifted from one washing receptacle to another tobeuse'd in each thereof.

The invention has as a further object in this connection to provide a swingingly mounted carriage for the clothes pounder or-working element, and wherein the said carriage'will be adapted to operatively sup port the clothes pounder adjacent the receptacle and independentlythereof in such position that the pounder may be easily actuated to wash the clothes within there ceptacle.

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide an improved mounting forthe clothespounder and to also provide animproved actuating mechanism therefor of such character that the pounder may be mum expenditure of labor.

Other and lncldental obgects 1w1ll appear as the description proceeds and 1n the draw} ings wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved apparatus showing the device applied to a conventionalgtype of support. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. of the device, this screw threaded a post 12".

is a tubular extension 11. Mounted upon the extension 11 is anelbow 12 in which is I Swingingly mounted upon the post 12 is a T-coupling to which is connected anfarm 1?). Screw Patented F e. 22, 1916'. 1,

threaded upon the arm 13 is another elbow 4 which carries an upstanding terminal a-rm15'fi v Swin ingly mounted upon the arm 15 is a sleeve-16 in the nature of a T-coupling and which supports an arm 17, the arm :17 preferably having screwthreaded engagement with the said coupling. Screw threaded upon the outer terminal of the arm 17 is-an elbow 18 which carries a terminal headed upstanding arm 19.

From the preceding description i twill be seen that the armsv 17 and 19 may be swung in the are of a circle uponithe sleeve 16, with thearm l5 as the center.

Freely mounted upon the ar1n19 a opposite extremities thereof, are spaced sleeves 20 and 21, each, ofwhich is also in the nature of a T-couplingi It will be observed that the sleeve 20 abuts the elbow. 18, while the sleeve 21 abuts the headof the djacent arm 19. interposed between ,the sleeves 20' and 21 and mounted freelyupon the arm 19 are a plurality of spacing sleeves 22 and 23, said sleeves being preferablylthree'in number.

. Screw threaded into the couplings 20 and 21fare substantially parallel-laterally extending arms 12%, to the outer terminals of which are preferably detachably connected sleeves 25 also in the nature ofT-couplings. onnecting the sleeves '25 is a preferably drawings, the bar 26 is greater in length than the distance-between the sleeves 25 and projects laterally 7 beyond the sleeves and i beyondthe arms24, the said bar being ar-' ranged parallel with the, said sle'evesj25 and being secured thereto in lateral spaced re lation by connecting webs 27. i i

- Mounted upon the bar126 is a guide 28.-

-The guide 28 is preferably formed from a single lengthof wire, one terminal of which .is-secured to the bar 26-adjacent the lower extremity thereof and projects. laterally from the bar as bestshown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The intermediateportion of the wire is then bent to extend sub stantially-parallel with the bar 26 in spaced fiat bar 26. As best shown in Fig. 3 of the relation theretoto a point bevondthe upper end of the bar. $116 wireis then again bent "18 as an axis.

laterally as shown at 29 and is thencecon tinned to form aretaining loop 30 extending substantially parallel to the inner" face of the adjacent upper extremity of the bar and in spaced relation thereto, the terminal ofthe wire being directed laterally; and se cured to the adjacent upper terminal of the bar as shown at 31.

Slidably mounted for vertical movement through the sleeves 25 is a preferably tubular rod 32which, at its upper extremity, is

provided with a head 33 having screwv threaded engagement therewith. Extending laterally from the'head 33 is a headed arm or lug 34C.

As best shown in-Fig; 1 of the drawings, the sleeve :23 of the arm 19 is provided with a laterally projecting pivot pin or arm 35 and detachably and pivotally mounted upon the said is a preferably fiat operating lever 36 which extends freely between the guide 28 and the bar 26 and provides-a han dle for the device. Pivotally connected to the lever 36 is an arm 37, the outer terminal of which is freely connected to the arm 34c of the plunger rod 32. As shown in dotted lines in" Fig. 1 of the drawings, the arm 37 may be reversed in its position relative to the lever 36, this arrangement providing for a variation in the throw of'the plunger rod.

From the preceding description, it will be readily seen that the sleeves 20 and 21, the arms 2%, and the sleeves 25, provide a carriagefOr the; plunger rod 32' adapted. for movement in an arcuate path about the arm These elements just previously enumerated also provide a carriage for the operating lever 36 and associated mechanism which is adapted to swing therewith as the carriage is shifted upon. its pivot,

while the said carria e andit's associated t3 said pounder may be readily reciprocated through the medium of the 'operatinglever 36 and the arm 37. Inuse, the device may be suitably attached to the upright of a conventional form-of wringer bench 39 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, in the manner therein illustrated, the uprights of said.

bench supporting a wringer 40. 'As is usual, a receptacle is placed upon each side of'the wringer so that clothesfrom onereceptacle may be passed through the wringer and caught within the other receptacle. WVhen so mounted, the carriage supporting the pounder may be swung upon the shaft 19 to dispose the pounder over firstone receptacle and then. the'other-s'o that by moving the operating lever 36 up and down, the pounder" may be actuated to thoroughly clean the clothes within each of the receptacles. In the event the adjustment of the carriage 0btainable around the shaft 19 isnot suliicientto reach either of the receptacles, the entire carriage and associated mecl anism maybe the post 12 in. the manner previously described. Tfhus, the pounder may hemoved or shifted to reach quite a number ofsreceptacles when arranged in a row upon the bench 39.

' further adjusted upon the shaft 15 orupon Particular attention is now directed to minal of the bar' provides aretaining lug for the lever adapted to hold the'lever in inoperative position until at such time itis manually operated to move the lever upwardly to clear the adjacentupper end of thebar. In use, whenthe lever 36 is-reciprocated to actuate the plunger rod 32, the" 7 said lever will move freely between the guide 28 and the bar. 26. V

InFig. lot the drawings, 1 have illustrated the preferred form of pounder. employed in connection with my improved apparatus although as will be readily under-v stood, anyother suitable type of .pounder. maybe used in connection therewithi As illustrated in this figure of the drawings, the pounder preferably includes a substantially.

frus'to-conical shell 41.: Connected to the smaller end of the shell is a-socket 42, which detachably receivesf-th'e adjacent extremity of the plunger rod 32.

" Formed in the wall of the shell 41 adja* cent the smaller end thereof is an annular series of spaced openings 43' and secured to the shell and overhanging said series of openings is an annular flange ia,-a1e lower free terminal of said flange beingarranged in spaced relation to the wall of the shellQ Arranged within the shell ll adjacent the smallerend thereof is a partition 45 which, adjacent its per1phery, 1s provided with an. annular series ofspaced openings 46;

V Mounted upon the partition and arranged axially within the shell 4-1 in spaced relation thereto" is a substantially frusto-conical spreader 47 having its smaller end presented toward the smaller end of the shell 1-1.

The

inner end of tne spreader47 is open, while, J

at the lower end thereof, thewall of the spreader is turned to provide a bead a8.

,It will thus be seen that I provide a very simple and efieient-form' of pounder' which may be readily formed from suitable sheet metal and which will, in use, prove entirely effective. i I

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, I have shown-a slightly modified form of attaching plate l9 which is provided with-an upstanding headed post 50 to which" is swingingly connected the arm 13, as in the preferred form of the invention. The attaching plate of this modification discloses an arrangement whereby my improved device may be connected to a horizontal support, while the attaching plateof the preferred form is more particularly designed for use in connection with a vertical support as illustrated in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is l. A device of the characterdescribed in cluding a swingingly supported'post a shaft svingingly connected to the post, a carriage freely connected with the shaft, a plunger having slidable connection with said carriage, and an operating lever freely secured to the shaft and having operative connection with said plunger. 7

2. A device of the character described including a shaft, means operatively supporting the shaft, a carriage including sleeves freely embracing the shaft, a sleeve upon the shaft and operatively supporting said first mentioned sleeves in spaced relation, arms extending from said first mentioned sleeves, and sleeves carried by said arms, a plunger freely mounted in said last menioned sleeves, and an operating lever freely secured to said second mentioned sleeve and having operative connection with said pluner.

3. A device of the character described including a shaft, means swingingly supporting the shaft, a carriage freely connected to the shaft, a plunger mounted to reciprocate upon the carriage, a bar carried by the car riage, a guide supported by said bar, and an operating lever freely secured to the shaft and'having operative connection with said plunger, said lever extending freely between the said guide and the bar.

. a. A d vice of the character described including a shaft, means operatively supporting the shaft, a carriage swinginglv connected to the shaft, a plunger mounted to reciprocate upon the carriage, a bar carried by the carriage, a guide supported by said bar, an operating lever freely and pivotally connected with said shaft. the lever extending freely between the said bar and the guide, and an arm having pivotal connection with the lever and with said plunger whereby actuation of the bar will reciprocate the plunger. said arm being reversible in its relation to the plunger to adjust the throw of said plunger. i

5. A device of the character described including a shaft, means operatively supportclu'ding a shaft, means swingingly supporting the shaft, a carriage swingingly connected to the shaft, a plunger mounted for reciprocation upon the carriage, a lever shiftable with the carriage and operatively con nected with the plunger, and a guide for the lever carried by the carriage and adapted to be engaged by the lever for maintaining the plunger in elevated position.

. 7. A device of the character described in.- cluding a shaft, means operatively supporting the shaft, a carriage swingingly connected to the shaft, a bar carried by-said carriage, a guide extending in spaced relation to the bar and embracing the bar at one end thereof, the adjacent end of the bar providing a stop lug cooperating with the guide to form a retaining loop, a plunger mounted upon the carriage, and an operating lever operatively secured at one extremity to said shaft and extending freely between the guide and said bar, the lever being adapted for movement to a position supported by said retaining loop and engaged by said step lug for maintaining the plunger elevated.

8. A device of the character described including a rigid supporting post, a second post swingingly connected to said first mentioned post, a shaft swingingly connected tov said second mentioned post, a carriage mounted to swing about the shaft, a plunger mounted to reciprocate upon the carriage,

and an operating lever for the plunger.

9. A device of the character described 1nplunger .mounted to reciprocate upon the carriage, an'operating lever movable about the axis of the carriage, and link pivotally connecting the lever withthe plunger, thesaid link being adjustable uponthe lever to vary the throw of the plunger."

10. A device of the character described including a carriage, a plungermounted to reciprocate upon the carriage, a guide bar carried by the carriage, and an operating lever arranged to cooperate with said bar and having operative connection withthe plunget, the said lever being shiftable to position between the bar and plunger for supporting the plunger in elevated position.

11. A device of the character described ineluding a swingingly supported carriage, a

eluding a carriage, a plunger mounted to reciprocate upon the carriage, a guide bar carciproca'te upon the carriage, an operating-lever for the plunger, a, banea-rried ibyvthe carriage, and a guide for the lever carried by said bar and formed to provide a {stop adapted to be engaged by said lever for supporting the plunger inelevated position.

In testimony whereof I a-flix my sign'a tur in presence of two Witnesses. I EZRA LQVVHISL'ER. [n s-.]

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. ELLSBURY, ANNA .M. WELTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, u Washingcoml). G. 

